


Stress

by hungryvulture



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Dry Humping, M/M, Massage, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-19 10:13:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29748951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hungryvulture/pseuds/hungryvulture
Summary: Zagreus' latest escape attempt has left him frustrated and tense. Thanatos knows how to help.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 178





	Stress

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd, mostly unedited, the author is not sober while posting this but he was sober when he wrote it.

The seventh time that Zagreus met his mother on the surface was the worst, by far. Never in a million years would he have imagined that she would tell him not to come back. He knew that there were risks involved in visiting her, but he assumed that Persephone would be willing to look past them so she could spend time with her only child. Zagreus hadn’t felt like crying this much since he was a child and his father scolded him for the first time. Just like he did then, he scrunched up his face and refused to let a single tear fall. He looked like he had smelled something rotten when he surfaced from the Styx, and he hoped that Hypnos would just assume he was frustrated from dying for the… fiftieth, sixtieth time? He hadn’t checked the records in a while. 

“Looks like natural causes got you again, huh? I heard a shade talking about dying from heart failure. Maybe it was that,” Hypnos said cheerfully.

Zagreus ignored him, still dripping blood onto the floor. 

“You look even worse than usual.” Hypnos followed Zagreus and leaned in close to get a better look at his face.

“Go away,” Zagreus growled. His jaw was clenched so tight that his teeth hurt. 

Hypnos shrugged and went back to his station, not in the mood to push his luck. 

Zagreus made a beeline to the East Hall, deciding not to stop and chat with Achilles like he usually did. He had no news about Patroclus this time, anyway, and he was hardly in the mood to talk. Still, he knew he had to say something when he ran into Nyx.

“What happened, child?” she asked, her voice quiet.

“My mother, she told me not to come back. She said I put her in danger,” he said.

“So what will you do now?”

“I’m going back,” he replied briskly.

“Good,” he heard her say as he practically ran into his bedroom.

Zagreus was tired, and his heart was heavier than it had been in a while. He glanced at his bed, considering taking a break to process everything that had happened, but decided that the best thing to do was throw himself into Tartarus again. 

Before he could make his way to the courtyard, he nearly smacked his face right into Thanatos’ chest as he appeared before him in a flash of smoke and green light. 

“Than,” Zagreus said curtly, not looking him in the eye as he tried to step past him.

Thanatos put his hand firmly on Zagreus’ shoulder to stop him. “Don’t leave just yet.”

“I’m going out,” Zagreus muttered with all the gloominess of a depressed teenager. 

“You can’t stop for a single moment to tell me what’s wrong?”

“Since when did you care?” Zagreus stepped back and looked Thanatos in the eye. 

“Since I started putting my own ass on the line to help you.” He stared back the way that he might look at Cerberus after he tore up the lounge. “You’ll die much faster if you’re distracted.”

Defeated, Zagreus backed off and sat down on the edge of his bed. His hands were clenched in his lap and a small frown was etched into his face. Thanatos was right, but that didn’t mean he was happy about it. “My mother doesn’t want me to come back.”

“What?” Thanatos floated over and let his feet touch the floor. “Why not?”

“She says that it’s dangerous. The Olympians might find out about her and wage war against my father.” 

“Obviously, you haven’t given up yet,” Thanatos pointed out.

“I can’t. No matter what, I have to keep seeing her. I have to know the truth,” Zagreus said, his fists clenching tighter.

“The truth will still be there if you take a break for just one night. Or day,” Thanatos corrected himself.

“I can’t relax.” As if to prove his point, Zagreus continued to squeeze his hands.

“I assure you, you have time.”

“No, I mean I _physically_ can’t relax. I’m so tense, I might snap.” That was obvious from looking at Zagreus. He sat as rigidly as a poorly posed statue. “I have to go out and do something or I’ll grind my teeth to dust.”

“You don’t need to go out, you need to do something to clear your mind,” Thanatos insisted. “Read a book, maybe. Or have Orpheus play something for you.”

Zagreus knew he couldn’t focus enough to read, and having music in the background would make him delve deeper into his thoughts. All he wanted to do was rampage through the underworld, taking out his frustrations on whatever unfortunate creature got in his way. Thanatos most likely realized that, knowing Zagreus’ inability to sit still. He was ready to storm out of his room and wail on Skelly until he collapsed from exhaustion.

“Have you heard of mortal athletes getting massages before competing?” Thanatos suggested.

Zagreus was taken aback. A massage? He had never considered it before, partially because he didn’t think he needed it, and partially because he didn’t know how comfortable he would be having someone rubbing their hands all over him. It wasn’t something he would let just anyone do for him.

“Achilles has mentioned it before,” Zagreus said. “I’ve never thought it would do any good for me.”

“It may. Your tension will surely get you killed, and I doubt you would be pleased with Hypnos teasing you for dying to a Numskull.” 

“You have so little faith in me,” Zagreus sighed. “Fine, if it will ease your mind, I’ll see what I can do.” He stood up and shot a little smile at Thanatos before heading towards the door. If he trusted anyone to lay their hands on him, it would have to be Achilles. They had sparred enough that he was comfortable enough with the idea of his mentor rubbing his back.

“Where are you going?” 

Zagreus stopped in his tracks, confused. “To ask Achilles about a massage. Isn’t that what you wanted me to do?”

“Well…” Thanatos glanced down at the floor. “Nevermind, my mind just wandered for a moment.”

“Do you want to do it?” Zagreus took a step closer to Thanatos. He found the idea of having Thanatos give him a massage more than agreeable. Still, it was strange, since their relationship had been strained lately and they had never been particularly physical.

“Do _you_ want me to?”

“Do _you_ wa-”

“Blood and darkness, Zagreus, just get over here.” 

Zagreus stifled a laugh and came back over to his bed, sitting down. He thought he could detect a little nervousness in Thanatos’ face, but it vanished as soon as he noticed it. He worried that he was reading into the situation too much, that his own repressed feelings were getting in the way. 

“There’s a bottle of olive oil under my bed,” Zagreus said. 

Thankfully, Thanatos didn’t ask why. He looked under and sure enough, there was a mostly full bottle tucked in with wrinkled clothes and random trinkets. He pulled it out with some difficulty and glared at Zagreus when he stood back up.

“Your room is a nightmare.”

“I rarely use it, so there’s no point in cleaning.”

Thanatos rolled his eyes. “Lie down on your stomach.”

Zagreus did as he was told and Thanatos stood by the side of the bed, uncorking the bottle. He tilted it until a gentle stream of oil fell onto Zagreus’ back, making him flinch from the sudden cold. The oil pooled in the middle of his back and Thanatos began to rub it up and down. His movements were slow and deliberate, covering every inch of Zagreus’ back and shoulders. The aim of the massage was to help him relax, but he couldn’t help tensing up at the feeling of Thanatos touching him.

“You could at least try to relax,” Thanatos scolded.

“Sorry… I’m not used to being touched so much.”

Thanatos’ hands stopped moving. “Do you want me to stop?”

Zagreus struggled to keep his eagerness under wraps. “Please continue.”

The heels of Thanatos’ hands pushed harder against Zagreus’ tight muscles, moving up and down his back at a steady pace. The pressure felt very nice, so nice that Zagreus couldn’t help but let out a quiet groan. Again, Thanatos stopped, and Zagreus felt himself blush furiously.

“Too much?” Thanatos pulled his hands back.

“No, not at all. I liked it,” Zagreus admitted. He hoped that Thanatos wouldn’t find his sudden vocalization weird.

Thanatos pressed his hands back into Zagreus’ back and made his way up to his shoulders, giving them a squeeze, earning another happy groan. This time, Thanatos didn’t pause at all. He brought his hands to Zagreus’ sides and dug his thumbs into the tough muscle there, loosening it up with every little circle he made. They continued like this for a while, Thanatos silently massaging Zagreus while he let out small grunts and sighs. The tension melted out of him with every push and pull of Thanatos’ skilled hands. Zagreus never knew that a massage could feel _so_ good. Thanatos went all the way down to his lower back, yet Zagreus felt like he didn’t want him to stop there. The thought sent a small shiver through his body. His heart was pounding like crazy as he ruminated over whether he wanted to take a risk.

“You’re surprisingly good at this,” Zagreus mumbled.

“Surprisingly?” 

“I know you’ve never given a massage before.” As wonderful as it felt, Zagreus could sense Thanatos’ hesitation in his movements.

“It’s that obvious…” There was a hint of disappointment in Thanatos’ voice that made Zagreus laugh. 

“You might be able to get a better angle if you get on top of me,” Zagreus suggested. He held his breath, hoping Thanatos wouldn’t react poorly.

The room was silent, and Zagreus cringed internally.

“Would you be comfortable with that?” Thanatos said.

“As long as you are.”

That was very promising. Regardless of whether Thanatos shared Zagreus’ feelings, Zagreus was pleased with the intimacy of the situation. Of course, he hoped that they both felt the same way, but at that point their friendship was in such a fragile place that he didn’t want to risk telling Thanatos how he felt. This would be good enough, for now. 

The mattress dipped under Thanatos’ weight as he knelt down on the bed. He swung one leg over Zagreus so that he was straddling his legs. He settled his weight down on Zagreus’ thighs, right behind his ass. Thanatos’ strong thighs were settled on either side of Zagreus, making him blush more intensely. Thanatos leaned forward to place his hands on Zagreus’ back and continued to massage him. Either he didn’t notice that his groin was pressed right up against Zagreus’ ass or he didn’t care. Zagreus cared an enormous amount. The suggestive position made his blood rush south and his mind ran wild with fantasies. Thank the gods he was lying face down, or Thanatos might have seen the problem tenting his leggings. Zagreus had imagined them in this position many times and had never thought that it would actually happen. This wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but it was close enough to make him ecstatic.

Zagreus was right that a better angle would make for a better massage. Thanatos put more of his weight behind his hands when he pushed and pulled, working Zagreus’ muscles like he was softening a lump of clay. Zagreus felt like he was melting into the bed. The only thing that kept him from relaxing into sleep was the pressure against his ass that shifted every time Thanatos moved back and forth. Thanatos moved forward to work on Zagreus’ shoulders, his hips practically thrusting into Zagreus.

“A-aah, Than,” Zagreus moaned, closing his eyes.

Instead of pausing like before, Thanatos kept going. His bulge rubbed against Zagreus with every movement he made. His breathing had become heavier with what may have been exertion, but Zagreus hoped with every fiber of his being that it was arousal.

Sure enough, Thanatos was getting hard. The realization could have sent Zagreus right over the edge if Thanatos hadn’t stopped. Zagreus whined at the loss of friction.

“Oh, fuck, Zagreus, I’m so sorry.” Thanatos sat up, but didn’t get off of the bed. “I got carried away.”

“I think you know full well that I didn’t ask you to get on top of me just so you could get a better angle. Get as carried away as you want, Than.”

“Are you sure?” Thanatos ran his hands lightly down Zagreus’ back. 

“I sure as hell didn’t ask you to stop,” Zagreus teased, lifting his hips to grind his ass against Thanatos’ erection. Thanatos sucked in a sharp breath. A moment later, his chiton fell to the floor next to the bed.

“I just… don’t want to get oil on it,” he explained.

“We’re past the time for excuses, Than.”

“Let me have a little dignity.” 

“Oh? You don’t think rutting against me is dignified?” 

“Don’t say it like _that_ ,” Thanatos hissed. 

His embarrassment must have been overridden by his desire, since he went back to massaging Zagreus almost immediately. The slow pace was unbearable, making Zagreus squirm every time Thanatos’ hands slid down to squeeze his ass. Neither of them cared about a proper massage anymore. They were so caught up in the bliss of intimate touch and the raging fire that it set in both of them. Thanatos abandoned the goal of working the knots out of Zagreus’ muscles to focus on rutting his hips against Zagreus with such intensity that it was like he was fucking him through their clothing. If Zagreus had a clearer state of mind, he would have suggested they strip completely and get right to the main event, but now that he was finally, _finally_ in bed with Thanatos he couldn’t stop for a single moment. Zagreus lay relaxed and prone, more than happy to let Thanatos lose control on top of him.

Thanatos leaned down until his chest was pressed against Zagreus’ back and he could moan Zagreus’ name right in his ear. Having Thanatos’ full weight on top of him made Zagreus feel smothered in the best way possible, and Thanatos’ muscular thighs squeezed him tight for better leverage. Despite being so lost in his own pleasure, Thanatos was kind enough to slip one of his hands underneath Zagreus to stroke at his cock. Zagreus jolted at the sudden touch and let out a high-pitched moan.

“Cute,” Thanatos grunted, squeezing harder.

“Than, I can’t- I won’t last much longer,” Zagreus gasped.

“Don’t hold yourself back.” Thanatos stroked him in time with his thrusts.

Zagreus wouldn’t dream of it. He bucked his hips against Thanatos’ hand until his movements stuttered. The white-hot core of pleasure deep inside of him broke open, sending warmth coursing through his body. He squeezed his eyes shut and cried out, his cock pulsing as his cum flooded out into his leggings, so warm it was almost uncomfortable. The glow of heat stayed in his body as he came down from his high, making him limp and hazy and happy. Thanatos continued to grind against him, his thrusts becoming erratic as he came as well. The sounds he made were music to Zagreus’ ears. He couldn’t have imagined how hot it would be for Thanatos to fall apart like that, so vulnerable and willing to give himself over to Zagreus.

Thanatos rolled off of Zagreus, lying on his back and panting gently. Zagreus turned onto his side to look at him, pleased with the debauched look on his face.

“You’re staring,” Thanatos said.

“You look pretty like this,” Zagreus said. “I want to see you this way more often.”

“The next time you’re stressed, I’ll be willing to help.”

More than willing, Zagreus knew. He scooted closer to Thanatos and gave him a small peck on the cheek.

“Let’s take a bath together. I can’t go back out looking like such a mess.”


End file.
